A holster is a device used to hold or restrict the undesired movement of a pistol, most commonly in a location where it can be easily withdrawn for immediate use. Holsters are generally designed to offer protection to the pistol, secure its retention, and provide ready access to it. The need for ready access is often at odds with the need for security and protection. Choosing the right balance can be very important, especially in the case of a defensive weapon holster, where failure to access the weapon quickly or damage or loss of the weapon because of insufficient retention or protection could result in serious injury or death to the user.
Holsters are generally attached to a person's belt or waistband or clipped to another article of clothing. Inside the Waistband (IWB) holsters are designed to be carried inside of a wearer's pants. Outside the Waistband (OWB) holsters are designed to be carried outside of the waistband. IWB holsters makes the enclosed firearm easier to conceal, but has the deficiencies of being making the firearm potentially more difficult to draw and being uncomfortable and requiring the user to wear compatible pants. OWB holsters are potentially more comfortable to wear and make it easy to draw the firearm. However, OWB holsters have the disadvantages of being more visible and requiring the user to wear a compatible belt. Furthermore, conventional IWB and OWB holsters are limited to only IWB or OWB carry. If the wearer wishes to change between the two methods of carry, the wearer must transfer his or her firearm to a different holster designed for that type of carry. The wearer is unable to adapt to changing circumstances where a different type of carry might be preferred unless the wearer always has two different types of holsters available.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved holster that converts between inside the waistband carry and outside the waistband carry. In this regard, the various embodiments of the present invention substantially fulfill at least some of these needs. In this respect, the holster according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a holster that is convertible between inside the waistband carry and outside the waistband carry.